Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-12-22
EoR FORWARD GIRLS


would That They Could See Themselves
As Others See Them. ~
Eotlong since. in speaking of a young
girl of her household, an aged mother
made this remark; 30. we can't do any
thing with Clara. She does just as
pleases herself, and bosses the whole
house."
She spoke in careless, Gght-hearted
way, and laughed as though she was
telling something very commendable
more than child in years, although
she puts on young-lady airs and speaks
of her ''best fellow in matter-of-
course way. She is boldly forward
and seems TO have no respect whatever
for the opinions and feelings of her
elders. She often spends night away
from. home, and while her careless
mother sleeps in peaceful -unconcern
upon her pillow she is walking the
streets with other girls of her own style,
laughing and talking in a manner to
attract the attention of fast young men
and bring unfavorable comment upon
herself; and if she goes to ruin who can
wonders In the majority of instances
where young girls go astrAy the mother
! is most to blame. because she has failed
to impress the Importance of purity,
not only of action, but of thought,
upon the mind of her daughter.
If young girls who think themselves
so irresistible to the young gentlemen
of their acquaintance could only have
their eyes opened to see themselves as
| of fhoo, xxro,,l1 ehr1 20
| gaze into the depth of the abyss yawn-
ing before them.
A great many girls who would not
really do any thing which they consid-
cred bad, and who are modest-appea ing
at home, think that when they are off on
! ajourney they can do any thing they
like, and no one will be the wiser. A
young maiden of this class went to visit
friends in distant part of the State.
At the town in which lived she stopped
several hours, the trains not con-
Meeting. Many time. when children.
she and played together with our
dolls. but she did not know I was liv-
ing there, and thinking she was far
from every one who knew her she went
in for what she called "good time. :"
She flirted with the telegraph operator,
and afterward told her intimate friend,
who was also an acquaintance of mine,
that she knew she had made ''mash, -
when if she could only have heard
what the young man said about her to
his intimate friends in my presence, not
knowing that knew her, she would
have hidden her face in shame.
IL 4 I Il.
lady-that she was of good family and
we'll thought of at home. / knew my
words only partially removed the
wrong impression those young men
had formed of her character.
Once the bloom is brushed from the
cheek of the peach no art can restore
it, and once the bloom of modesty,
than which nothing is more beautiful,
is taken from the cheek of maiden
hood, the loss is irreparable. Then.
mothers, wake up to the Importance of
your duties. Teach your daughters
also your sons-that purity of thought
is the best guard against impurity of
action. See that they read no trashy
novels, and associate with only desira-
BILE companions. Hedge them in with
love, strengthened by compulsion if
necessary, and in after years, when
they know more of the world, thew
will recognize your wisdom and thank
you for what they may rebel against
now. Teach them that sowing wild
OATS is usually to harvest shame. and
leave no duty undone toward them.
The good book says: Train up a child
in the way he should go, and when he
is old he will not depart from it -
-41inie Val, in Farm, and Fireside.